109 



" Like a dolphin, it had a low snout, and rising from it a convex 

 forehead, at the base of which was the large single blow-hole, placed at 

 about the middle of the head. The snout was turned up with a margin 

 somewhat like that of a pig. In the gums of the roof of the mouth 

 there was on each side a series of sockets for receiving the teeth of the 

 under jaw ; these teeth were hollow, conical, and inserted somewhat 

 horizontally in the sides of a very thin, narrow, sub-cylindrical under- 

 jaw. The eye was situated low, in front of a very weak pectoral fin. 

 There was a triangular dorsal fin like that of a dolphin, the rather 

 convex front edge of it being inclined backwards at an angle of 45°. 

 The hinder edge of it was more perpendicular and concave. The per- 

 pendicular height of the point of this dorsal fin from the back was about 

 85 inches, and its base 6 inches wide. 



" There is the same want of symmetry, the same distortion of the 

 bones, and the same concavity of the upper surface of the head, formed 

 by the enormous development of the base of the maxillaries, and the 

 same convexity of the roof of the mouth, as are found in the genus 

 Catodon. 



" The lower jaw is a singular contrast to the upper, the former being 

 as slight and fragile as the latter is massive and strong. So weak is the 

 connection of this under-jaw with the skull, that the articulating con- 

 dyles are scarcely to be detected. The broad branches are nearly as 

 thin as paper, and although the sides are reflexed inwardly, as in 

 dolphins, the doubling, so as to form the hollow tube, does not occur as 

 in them, near the base of the jaw, but within three inches of the 

 symphysis. Nevertheless, so extremely feeble an under-jaw demon- 

 strates that the long, sharp teeth serve merely for the purpose of 

 retaining the weak mollusca which, no doubt, forms this creature's 

 prey." 



This whale, in length between 9 and 10 feet, was stranded, in 1850, 

 on the Maroobrah Beach, half-way between Coogee and Botany, and 

 the imperfect remains, collected by Mr. "Wall under great dilEculties, 

 are now set up in our Museum, presenting an interesting, although 

 indifferent, specimen of a species previously unknown, except through 

 the medium of the single skull in France. 



Rfteen years subsequent to this discovery, another specimen, but of 

 larger dimensions and happily in perfect condition, was cast ashore on 

 the beach at Manly, which afforded Mr. Krefft an excellent opportunity 

 for examining the external form, taking the various admeasurements of 

 lengths and girths, and for securing an almost complete series of the 

 bones, necessary for the erection of the artificial skeleton — operations 

 greatly enhanced in value by photographic illustrations of the external 

 form of the living animal, and a few of the essential adjuncts. 



The Manly Beach animal and that from Coogee correspond so greatly 

 with each other that I have no doubt as to their specific identity; 

 nevertheless they exhibit certain differentiating characters worthy of 

 remark. 



